The Real Reason
by tmh1022
Summary: Kiara is probably the most disliked character in The Lion King. One could argue that she is immature and not very smart, especially during Kovu's exile scene. But what if she didn't just go after him just because of "love"? What if there was a REALLY good reason for Kiara to go after him, traitor or not?
1. Lust for Being Bad

**Okay so this is my first fanfic. I hope you enjoy!**

**I always kinda feel bad for Kiara...she gets hated on so much. I re-watched SP recently and noticed that yeah, she is kinda of a brat and not very smart at times. So this story will be a twist on the movie that justifies her actions, I guess you could say.**

**Sorry I took so long to update...anyways, for those of you who read what I already wrote, I'm changing up the whole story line. These next few chapters will be before that scenario. I listened to another author (Shembre, author of "Just Beneath the Surface", which I really suggest you all read if you haven't already, it's realllly good!) and have decided that there was a time lapse between the rhino chase and stargazing scenes, during which this chapter and a few more will take place. Of course there are a few things that say there couldn't have been a time lapse (i.e. Zira doesn't seem to be the patient type), but I'll try to work those out.**

**Oh and in my story, Kovu is one sick puppy...(so is Zira but we already know that lol). You've been warned!**

* * *

"Are you two comin' or what?" Timon's obnoxious voice called from the path up ahead. Kovu and Kiara looked at each other and walked off side-by-side, still embarrassed after that accidental kiss in the crevice.

Kiara had broken off first, even though, secretly, she had _liked_ it. She couldn't let anyone know...she was the princess and he was just a rogue from the Outlands, he could never be her mate! Yet, she couldn't help but have feelings for him...Kovu was, afterall, the first male cub she had ever known. Ever since they first met, he had held a special place deep in her heart. Sometimes, she would find herself lying down on a high rock in the savanna, gazing at the renegade territories, wondering what his life was like, imagining what he looked like as an adolescent, as an adult...always hoping she would see him again...

She was, of course, beyond happy that he had decided to join her father's pride. She had been feeling nothing but joy ever since. But it was mostly joy of an old friend returning. Only now, after that kiss, was she starting to remember those old_ feelings_...and to feel them once again.

She looked back at the maroon lion as they walked. Kovu was actually much better-looking than she had imagined. And a lot more attractive than all the other male lions she'd known. No matter how hard she tried to remind herself that it could never happen, that she would never be with him, she just couldn't keep her eyes off him. Kovu caught her glance and cleared his throat, while giving her an abashed smile.

Kovu was still bewildered by his experience, being chased by rhinos. He was completely exhilarated; the adrenaline rush only matched that of when he was in a fight. He hadn't thought much about the tense moment in the crevice. He could tell how Kiara felt about him and thought it was...a little cute. His mind was in a whirl for a moment, but as the excitement wore off, he went back to thinking about much more important matters: his mission.

He had almost done it that morning. He would've if that annoying princess hadn't distracted him. But he'd have another shot eventually. He knew he'd get it done then. Hopefully there wouldn't be another interference. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Timon saying his name.

"Hey, tough guy! Kovu!" The meerkat shouted from atop Pumbaa. "Hello!"

He quickly brought his focus back to the present. "What?"

"You alright, kid? You seemed a little-"

"I'm fine." He replied casually. "Just thinking."

Kiara was curious. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing!" He said very loudly and nervously. He realized he had slipped and wanted to claw himself in the face. "I mean, ummm...where are we going now?"

"Back to Pride Rock..." Kiara answered, somewhat offended after the way Kovu snapped at her. "My father is probably done with his rounds by now and always wants me there when he's back."

Pumbaa suddenly piped up. "Oh, Kiara, I forgot to tell you: Simba went to go see...oh what's her name...Malka! That's right, Queen Malka!"

"Pumbaa, we've been over this before..." Timon facepalmed himself. "Malka. Is. A. GUY!"

Pumbaa grunted. "But his name-"

"Who knows what went through that poor lion's parents' heads when they named him" He said sympathetically. "...and you know, _your_ name means 'careless'!"

"B-b-but...it does not!"

"Yeah, it does!"

As the duo argued, Kiara sighed, exasperated.

"Something wrong?" Kovu asked.

"Kinda..." She sat down. "You see, Malka is my father's best friend...and, well, I'm betrothed to his son...I have a terrible feeling that they might already be planning our..." She hesitated. "...wedding."

"Oh...wow..." Kovu sat down next to her. "Getting married, huh?"

"I don't want to...Abidjan's a nice guy, but he's _sooo_ self-conscious, a nervous wreck, really gullible...and, if you ask me, I really don't think he'll be able to handle being king..."

Kovu suddenly became inquisitive. "What did you say?"

"Hm? About Abidjan? He's aggravating, dependent-"

"No, you said something about him being...king."

"Yeah, whoever fathers my cubs becomes the next king. That's the law."

"Really? _Whoever_ you have cubs with becomes king?" Kovu was now _very_ interested.

"Uh-huh." Kiara was getting a little irritated. "And no matter what, the pride will have to accept him. Even if he's, like, I don't know, a killer or something. Traditionally, it _should_ be my decision, but my father thinks he should have control of the whole situation, you know, because of how much it impacts the Pridelands. Actually, _traditionally_, my parents should try to have a son who would become the heir, but Dad has this crazy fear of sibling rivalries..." She got up and headed home, too preoccupied thinking of her Dad to notice Kovu's wicked smirk.

_"Whoever fathers my cubs becomes the next king...And no matter what, the pride will have to accept him...even if he's, like, I don't know, a _killer_ or something."_ The princess's words resonated in his mind as he got up and followed her.

It was almost too good to be true. Maybe he could take Scar's place as king not by killing Simba...but by making his life a living hell! It would also provide a safety in case he did decide to kill the king: although Kovu had been trained to fight off multiple lions at once, he was still unsure if he'd be able to hold off the Pridelander lionesses. They appeared much stronger than the Outsiders, so he himself had decided he would kill Simba when he was alone and far from Pride Rock, and then cover it up until he could contact his mother, after which the Outsiders would launch a full-scale invasion. But he hadn't known what to do if anybody figured him out before he got to Zira...until now. Even if he killed the king in front of every single lioness in the pride, they wouldn't be able to apprehend him. They wouldn't be able to deny him his throne. His mother would be so proud.

He looked at Kiara, feigning sympathy. "Wow, that's a _lot_ of pressure...but its should be up to you...you should get to at least have a say..."

"Thanks! At least you understand..." Kiara stopped walking and nuzzled him joyfully as a gesture of friendship, catching him off guard slightly.

Kiara didn't notice Kovu's twisted grin return. He had clearly seen how she felt when they kissed, and now she was finding excuses to nuzzle Kovu. Fulfilling his destiny was going to be a lot easier than he thought...

* * *

Later that night, when everybody in the pride was asleep, Kovu sneaked away from Pride Rock. He had to inform his mother about his plan, who was expecting him to complete his mission within a day or two.

After trekking through the grasslands for a while, he crossed a river and entered the Outlands. A few lionesses were up scrounging around for termites. As soon as they noticed his presence, they alerted Zira.

She raced out to greet her son, and Nuka followed. Her eyes were filled with insane hope. "Kovu! You're back! Sooner than I expected!" She got up close to Kovu and her heart sank. "Something is missing..." She suddenly became outraged. "WHERE IS THE BLOOD ON YOUR PAWS! WHERE IS THAT SIMBA'S CORPSE?!"

He gulped, smiled weakly, and stated what he had been rehearsing. "Mother...how would you feel about being a...grandmother?"

Zira groaned, rolled her eyes, and brought her paw to her face. _And so it begins...of course, it just had to be now!_ "Son, this is absolutely no time to-"

"You see, I found out today that...there's another way for me to become king than killing Simba..."

Zira seemed like she would explode. Her voice seethed with pure hatred. "SIMBA MUST DIE! SCAR HAS TO BE AVENGED!"

"Okay, okay...I _will_ kill him...but, first, I think I'll torture him..._mentally_."

Zira was slightly relieved, and intrigued, when she saw a glint of evil in Kovu's green eyes, so much like Scar's. "Go on."

"I found out today...that, when the heir to the throne is a girl, the father to her cubs becomes the next king...and the pride will have to accept him..." He smiled and showed his teeth. "...even if he's a _killer_."

Nuka was the first to realize what he was hinting at. He shivered and let out a disgusted groan, looking first at Kovu and then at his mother. "You really sure that this sicko should be the chosen one? It's not too late-"

Zira glared at him for a moment to shut him up, but then looked back at Kovu. She herself was taken aback slightly, but also a tad impressed. She then chuckled in a way that made everyone a little uncomfortable. "I've said it before and I'll say it again...you really do have the same conniving mind that made Scar so powerful..."

"Alright, well, if I'm going to do this, I need you to give me some time, alright?"

"Why, of course! Now, go, do what you must! Just do me one favor...let me know before Simba discovers this...so I can be there to see the look on his face...he'll be so perfectly... _tormented_...when he finds out you've _poisoned_ his bloodline." Zira cackled.

With that, Nuka turned away and started gagging. "I think I'm gonna be sick..."

* * *

**Okay, I hoped you liked it! That was pretty fun to write lol...oh and let's see if any of you can figure out how I came up with Abidjan's name!**

**EDIT 8/30/13: So I've decided to name my chapters lol. During the song "My Lullaby", one of the lines is: "Until he learns to be a killer, with a lust for being bad!" Lmao I just think that really fits Kovu in my story xD**


	2. In For The Kill

**Okay so in order for this to be listed as "updated" I've uploaded Chapter 2! If you read my original chapter already, please read my updated Chapter 1 before this!**

* * *

"Alright now, be as quiet as possible...like you're not even here."

And Kiara wasn't "here". Every time she heard his voice, that slow, deliberate hiss, she had died and went to heaven.

She didn't even try to focus on the guineafowl that was innocently pecking the ground out in the open in front of her. Her efforts would be futile. She couldn't focus on anything but the lion at her side.

It had been four days since Kovu saved her from the fire, and whenever she was around him she felt a slew of new emotions that she never felt before. Every minute she spent with Kovu, they grew stronger. She had even started _dreaming_ about him. She couldn't deny her feelings now, but she still kept it a secret.

She looked at him, with the excuse of trying to copy his position. They were both crouched down in the grass. Kovu was actually only the second male lion her own age she'd ever gotten to know well, and he was so different from Abidjan. Kovu was confident, cool, calm, clever...and not to mention hotter than El Azizia .

Kovu smiled inwardly. The princess was _so_ easy to read. She stared at him when he thought he didn't notice and she made every attempt to be around him. However, it was proving difficult to get past her father. Not only had Simba kept firm on his forbidding her to hunt, he had even become more protective of her-Kiara was absolutely never out of his, Zazu's, or Timon and Pumbaa's sights. Kovu knew that since Simba had already chosen a betrothal for his daughter, he might lose trust or even exile him if he tried to get with Kiara. Simba's trust was key to the mission and could not be lost.

At the moment, seeing her looking him over dreamily from the corner of his eye, Kovu saw an opportunity to tease her a little and let her know that he _wasn't_ oblivious. "Looks like you need a new trainer..."

"NO!" Kiara yelled, as though what Kovu suggested meant her life would end. She then snapped out of her trance, mortified. "I mean...no...you're a really good teacher...why should I replace you?"

"Because how am I supposed to teach you to hunt if you can't focus?" He said with a smirk as he stood up.

"What do you mean?" The princess asked innocently.

"Kiara, Kiara, Kiara...so luculent." He shook his head and snickered. "You really don't think I can tell how you feel about me?"

He knew how she felt about him! She wondered how long he'd known. Was she really that transparent? How did he feel about her? "No, it's not that!" she lied. "It's just...uhhh..." She was at a total loss of words. She quickly changed the subject. "Let's go back to the Pride Rock, it's getting dark!" She immediately dashed away, not caring if Kovu was following her or if he had even heard what she said.

* * *

"There you are!" Simba exclaimed happily when he saw his daughter returning to the den. He noticed her quickened pace. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just felt like running...sorry if I scared you..."

The king looked puzzled for a little bit, but his joyous expression soon returned. "Well, I've got some great news for you! I was doing my rounds today and saw Malka..."

Kiara immediately knew who the conversation was going to be about.

"We chatted for a little bit, and well, we decided that it would be nice if, tomorrow, we had an official ceremony for you...and Abidjan..."

"WHAT?!" Kiara couldn't believe him. _Tomorrow?!_

"Now, now, Kiara, I know it may seem a little sudden-"

"A little sudden? A _littl_e_?!_" She tried to calm down a little. "Father...I can't...I'm not ready for this."

"Kiara, what are you so afraid of? It's not like I'm asking you to have cubs with him, we're just going to officially pronounce you future king and queen..."

"But Dad, _why_ now? This is really-"

"Kiara, the fate of the kingdom depends on it!"

"Shouldn't this be _my_ decision? I'll say it myself: Abidjan won't make a good king." She spoke very matter-of-factly, but then returned to a pleading tone when she saw her father was getting angry. "Don't you see how hard I'm trying to do what's best for the Pridelands? Just...give me more time to find someone else, okay?"

Simba saw that he had to be firm. "Kiara, _I'm_ still the king. You are to listen to me, do you understand?! We don't have time! The date is set. Tomorrow!"

"SIMBA!" Nala yelled, slightly scaring her mate. Her normally mellow demeanor was faltering. "I've had enough of this! What is it with you?" She turned to her daughter. "Kiara, your father and I need a moment."

The princess nodded and walked away. Several other lionesses came over to the scene and voiced their opinions.

"You should know the tradition, Kiara's supposed to decide!"

"Why are are you being so rigid?"

"You're being a tyrant!" An elderly lioness hissed, and Simba cringed.

The queen looked back at her king and softened. "Simba...something's bothering you. There must be a reason you're acting like this...tell me."

"What? I'm only doing what I'm supposed to do, aren't I?"

"Just because you're the king doesn't mean you have to control everyone's lives, Simba. If Kiara doesn't want to be with Abidjan, don't force her to." She nuzzled him. "Remember the day Zazu told us we were betrothed? You said that when you became king, that tradition would be the first thing you'd change..."

Simba couldn't help but smile at the memories of his childhood. "I'm sorry, Nala. I guess I'm being hypocritical..." He then remembered the one lioness who had called him a tyrant moments ago. What especially irked him was that said lioness was alive during Scar's reign, so she knew what a tyrant was. Simba suddenly felt the need to assure himself and the pride he wasn't a tyrant. He wanted to prove that. "Alright then...I'll let her choose whoever she wants." He said somewhat reluctantly, but smiled when he saw how happy all his lionesses became. "Now where is she?"

The king looked at his majordomo. "I'll go find her at once, your majesty."

Zazu started to head out, but Nala spoke up again. "See Simba? Right now, you're being controlling. You just have to know where she is at all times, don't you? Why don't give her a little freedom for a change? She's not a cub anymore..."

Simba glanced towards the outside of the den nervously and low grunt came from his throat, but he decided to listen to his queen. He was determined not to act like a tyrant. He brushed his muzzle against the top of her head. "You're right..." He looked back to the hornbill. "Zazu, leave her be..."

He didn't say anything about it, but he had had a reason for rushing his daughter's marriage. He had seen how often she interacted with the one other male in the pride; it was beginning to unnerve him. However, he had to trust his daughter. She wouldn't do something so terrible, would she?

* * *

Meanwhile, Kiara had decided to go for a walk to the water hole to get a drink and calm herself down. She was, of course, very distressed. The sun was almost completely down, but she didn't return to Pride Rock right away. Instead she stared at her reflection, mumbling.

"Tomorrow! I'm getting married tomorrow!" She sighed frustratedly. "Who does he think he is? So thick-headed...I'm trying so hard to do the right thing, why can't Dad respect that? Abidjan...I don't wanna spend the rest of my life with _him_...and, and, he can't be king, the pressure will be too much on the poor guy. He's just not cut out for it. A king has to be strong, smart, confident...someone like..." That one lion came to mind. "That's it. He knows I..._like_ him...I have to ask him if he'd wanna be king...would he even consider it? Father probably won't accept him at first, but it is _definitely_ worth a shot...Okay, I'm going to do it..." She turned around, about to go look for him, but instead saw the Outlander sitting down in the shadows a few feet away, with a smug look on his face that told her he had been there the whole time.

"Looking for someone?" Kovu questioned rhetorically.

The princess felt the nervousness build up, but decided she wouldn't back down. She had already mustered up the courage and wouldn't let it go. She looked down at the ground. "You probably know what I'm about to ask..." She then lifted her head up and stared deeply into his emerald eyes. "How would you feel...if I wanted you...to be my king?"

"Well, Kiara, it's kinda unexpected..." The dark lion said sarcastically. "But I'd be happy to."

"Its Okay if...wait! R-really? You would? That's...that's great! Thank you so much!" The princess's eyes lit up; she was absolutely elated. She cautiously nuzzled her crush and let it last alot longer than any of her friendly nuzzles.

Kiara then separated herself from him and started to walk back to Pride Rock. Suddenly, she felt a harsh tug on her tail that almost caused her to fall. She looked back and saw that Kovu had her tail tuft in his mouth. He gave her a come-hither look, raising both eyebrows a few times.

Kiara froze and her own eyes went wide as the anxiety hit her. _This is actually happening!_ Kiara couldn't believe it at first. The lion she had to constantly resist pouncing on was actually trying to seduce her! If this had been a dream, it would have ended by now. Despite her feelings, she had to resist. "Kovu...I didn't mean, uhhh...right now...I gotta try talking to my father first, it'll probably take awhile for him to agree to it, but let's at least try..." She pulled her tail out of his jaws and continued to saunter home, not hearing Kovu growl.

If she told Simba about her wanting him to be king, Simba would most definitely reject him and prevent him from ever getting close to her again, maybe even banish him from the pride. No, he couldn't let that happen. Simba wouldn't know until it was too late, he had to make sure of that.

"I have to admit, I really didn't expect-" Kiara stopped short when Kovu moved quickly to block her path. She tried to walk left, he mirrored her. She tried to move to her right, he blocked her once again. And again. Just like what he had done after he rescued her. "What are you doing?", she asked, annoyed. In a flash, Kovu was in a pouncing position, eyeing Kiara _very_ scandalously.

She gasped and backed away slowly.. too slowly. "Oh boy...K-kovu, I seriously can't do this now-WHOA!" As she turned, something heavier than her brought her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. When she finally caught her breath, she saw that she was on her back, pinned to the ground. "Kovu?! GET OFF ME!"

He didn't let her go. Instead, he scanned the area to make sure they were completely alone, and a salacious smirk spread across his face. As Kiara struggled, Kovu leaned down and licked the side of her neck.

"Oh..." Kiara moaned in pleasure in spite of herself. She looked up at him, and realized that she was undoubtedly about to lose something she'd never get back. As a crown princess, this would be the most climactic moment of her life. Kiara's heart began to race, and she really wasn't sure she was ready for this. "Kovu, I really don't think we should..."

"Why not? I know how badly you want me..." He whispered in a lustful voice that sent chills down Kiara's spine. "What if your father doesn't accept me? He might not let me get close to you ever again. Tonight...could be our only chance. Tonight, Kiara, _we_ make _history!_"

She whimpered nervously. He spoke the truth. It _could_ be their only chance. But she still couldn't betray her own family like this. "Kovu...really...I can't-"

"Oh c'mon, Kiara!" Kovu said a bit angrier than intended. He then returned to his sly, lecherous tone. "You really are Daddy's little girl...don't you see? Look at the way he treats you! Do you really want him to control _all_ of your life? You know, he's going to drag you off tomorrow to go marry _Abidjan_." He made sure to say the foreign prince's name with disgust. "...whether you like it or not. Its either me or _him_. It's your decision, and you have to decide_ tonight_. If you really want me, Kiara..." He gave her another passionate kiss. "...its either now...or _never!_"

That was it. Kovu was just _so_ right. She _was_ being a Daddy's girl. Why should let her father dictate her life, especially after the way he had yelled at her when they last spoke? And tonight really could be her last chance at ever being with Kovu. _Dad will probably hate me for doing this, but, you know what, he deserves it! And besides, it really is for the best, isn't it?_ And with that, Kiara let that one, suppressed piece of her heart that had always belonged to Kovu take total control of herself. Suddenly, she embraced Kovu with her forelegs and brought him down on top of her, kissing him back with more ardency than she knew she had.

Kovu hadn't expected Kiara to be so fervent, but it just made things even better. He had hit home and he knew it. He kissed her back and started to get more and more forceful. And soon, the only things being said were their names.

* * *

**Okay, thank you so much for reading! I already have most of Chapter 3 done, so I should be able to update again soon! **


	3. Busted!

**Here is Chapter 3! In this chapter, we will see some interaction between two major characters in SP who don't interact ****_at all_**** the entire movie...**

* * *

A pair of cerulean eyes stalked the savanna early in the morning.

The lioness they belonged to grumbled mentally. _Why do I have to be here? I could get caught...or worse, I could catch him in the act!_ She grimaced. _Ugh, now I can't_ _get that image out of my head...I just hope he can get it over with...so then he can kill Simba!_ The lioness chuckled. _Oh I can't wait to see that sucker die...I wonde_r _why can't I do it...after all, he killed my father! Oh well...but at least I get to kill _her_..."_ She smirked, but then stopped and sniffed the air. "Alright, Kovu, I know you're here..."

"Oh, hey, Sis..." He said from beside a nearby boulder.

Vitani turned to look at him. She didn't recognize him at first. His normally very well-kept mane was completely disheveled and he had a devilish grin. If it weren't for his jade eyes, she would've thought it was her other brother. "What's happened to you? You look awful!"

Kovu scoffed and pretended to be insulted. "Is that how you talk to _the prince of the pridelands_?"

It took her a second. "Ohh..."

"Uh-huh. Mother sent you?"

"Yeah...ummm...she wanted to make sure everything was going...smoothly." She shifted uncomfortably. "So, now that you've...uh...done it, when are you going to kill Simba!" Her eyes lit up.

Kovu looked at his sister skeptically, never having noticed she was so excited to see him kill the king. "Hey, uhhh...I was thinking...I know Mother said Scar has to be avenged and all, but ummm...do_ you_ really think Simba has to die?" He soon wished he hadn't said that.

"WHAT!? IF-IF YOU DON'T KILL HIM, I WILL!" Vitani shouted in his face, causing him to lean back against the boulder.

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" He put his paws out in front of him. "Sheesh...you know Vitani, you're really starting to sound like Mother!"

The lioness didn't pay attention to him as she turned around. "I know...you're probably still, uhh, recovering! You're not thinking straight! That's it! I'm gonna go home and tell Mother that you got Kiara pregnant, and then I'll be back, alright. And you better snap that felon's neck!" She dashed away disgruntled.

Kovu stayed still, shocked by his sister's outburst. By the time he recollected himself, it was too late. "Wait! Vitani! I have to get Kiara to tell her father she's pregnant first...and-and what if she's not? Ah, never mind." He began walking back to Pride Rock, looked in the direction where Kiara was, and turned back towards his sister, although he could barely even see her anymore. "Oh, and, ask Mother why I couldn't have been trained to do _THAT_ my whole life!"

* * *

Alone.

As she opened her eyes to find herself resting in the savanna, that was the only emotion the princess felt. The sun was fairly high in the sky, and she could hear a few animals from a distance; however they weren't lions. She sat up, still not remembering what had happened the night before. She saw that the animal sounds were coming from the water hole, not very far away. She tried to remember what brought her there last night. Slowly, recollections of the night before surfaced in her head. Arguing with her father, talking to herself by the water hole, and then...

_No!_ Kiara couldn't help but be in denial at first. It had to have been a dream. As she stood up and began to head back to Pride Rock, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, she had been daydreaming about Kovu again and fell asleep, and everything-the hunt, the fire, and Kovu's entire presence had all been one big dream...it seemed impossible, but she desperately hoped she was right.

She neared home and saw that it was a very lazy day: the entire pride was sunbathing around Pride Rock. She saw her parents resting under an acacia and was astonished they weren't out for looking for her. She approached them carefully, not sure if they were actually asleep.

Simba lie on his stomach, and Nala was resting her head on his back, with one foreleg draped over his flank leisurely. The queen's eyes opened slightly and Kiara courteously said, "Good morning."

"Good_ afternoon_." Nala corrected.

Simba lifted his head up and yawned. "Where were you? You had me a little worried..."

"Oh, I-uhhh-went to the waterhole, and I, uh, must have fallen asleep over there, I guess..." The princess was genuinely surprised her father wasn't scolding her. "Sorry."

Simba looked like he was about to say something but let Nala do the talking as laid down again. "Don't be sorry, Kiara. We've decided you're old enough to go out alone...haven't we, Simba?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah..." The king seemed disinterested and wanted to go back to sleep.

"Oh, uh...thanks!" Now Kiara wasn't sure that_ this_ was reality. She decided to find someplace to just sit down alone and think, but as she left, her father spoke up.

"Oh, and Kiara...I think you'll be happy to hear this, too." He cleared his throat and sat up. "Your mother and I have decided, that you're no longer betrothed to Abidjan. Or anybody." He took a deep breath and smiled at her. "You'll choose the future king. It's totally up to you."

"Oh...uhhh, thanks..." Kiara dearly wished he had said that to her earlier. She walked away quietly, found a secluded area, and lied down to just...figure things out. She hadn't seen Kovu anywhere. Nothing seemed to be different from before she went on her first hunt. At this point she was almost sure that it had all been a dream...until she turned on her side, and, to her horror, was met by two dark green eyes.

"So, princess...when are you going to tell your Dad?" He seemed to be an expert on sneaking up on her. He was lounging with his head on his paws.

After gasping in surprise, she almost started to cry from remorse. It had been no dream; everything _was_ real. She had completely betrayed her pride, and her father-just as he was going to make amends with her!

Kovu noticed how regretful she looked. "Kiara, don't be ashamed of what we did last night."

She sighed. "My father just told me...that he's decided to let me choose my king."

Kovu seemed to brighten up. "That's perfect! C'mon, let's go tell him now!"

"Kovu..." He was about to stand up but turned to look at Kiara when she said his name. "Why do you want this so badly? I mean, you seem like this is something you've always wanted...you really want to be king?"

He looked Kiara in the eye and gave her a very sincere look. "It's not that I wanna be king..." He lied. "It's that...I _love_ you, Kiara. More than anyone in the world. You're the prettiest lioness I've ever met, you're sweet, and you're the only one who's been there for me. My pride kicked me out, this pride still won't accept me...you-you're the only one I've got now. When I heard you were gonna marry Abidjan, I just..." He exhaled. "Call me selfish, but I just couldn't let it happen. I just couldn't lose you too..."

Kiara was speechless for a moment but smiled at him. "It-it's okay, Kovu. I...I love you, too." She got up and nuzzled him. "Alright, I'm gonna tell my parents."

She walked away and as soon as he was sure she was out of earshot, Kovu slammed his paw onto the ground and burst out laughing so hard he almost cried.

* * *

Kiara searched for her parents and saw her father just getting up from where he and Nala were laying, probably about to go off on patrol.

Kiara took a deep breath and approached him. "Hey, Dad, I need to talk you about something..." The king and queen both turned to look at their daughter, Nala still on the ground.

"What?" Simba asked innocently.

_This is it...I'm gonna tell him...I'm gonna tell him...no, I can't do it!_ "How come you won't accept Kovu into the pride?" _Okay well, that's a good start._

Simba looked at her quizzingly. "Well...I uhhh...it's-it's a guy thing, you know. Don't want him, uh, taking over the pride, killing all the cubs that aren't his, you know?" He smiled with his teeth and it was clear he was faking. "Anyways, I gotta go do my rounds. Places to be, animals to see..."

He walked away, leaving Kiara rather befuddled. She looked at her mother as if to ask what was up with him, but she spoke first. "Don't tell me you've got it, too..."

"Got what?"

"It better not be contagious...I'd break your father's heart..." She looked at Simba as he disappeared into the savanna.

"Got _what_?" Kiara had no idea what her mother was talking about.

"Everyone in the in the pride has been fawning over him...I knew you'd start eventually..."

Kiara sighed furtively, and Nala chuckled. "Your Mom always knows, Kiara. _Always_."

_No, Mom, you don't know the half of it._ "Do you...do you think Dad would ever accept him...not just into the Pride, but...as his...heir?"

Nala looked a little shocked. "I...don't know. Have you talked to Kovu about this?"

"Yeah, he seems to be okay with it..."

"Really? He is, is he? Huh..." The queen suddenly became very pensive as Kiara walked away...

* * *

Later that evening, Kovu was outside the den trying to sleep, somewhat irked that Kiara hadn't confessed to her parents yet. He was almost asleep, and was, naturally , quite surprised when somebody actually snuck up on him for a change.

"Alright, how long did you plan on keeping up this act?"

Kovu jumped up, eyes wide, and was face-to-face with Nala. He immediately pretended to be clueless. "What are you talking about?"

"I was suspicious when you said you left the Outsiders. I really couldn't believe Zira let you leave. And now Kiara wants you to be king..." Nala glared at him. "That fire wasn't natural, was it?"

Kovu was at a loss. He had been discovered! This was not good! "I have no idea what you're saying-"

"Oh please, you're not fooling me. Let me guess..." Nala narrowed her eyes. "Zira wants you to kill Simba."

"What? No! You're nuts!"

"Give it up, Kovu." Nala suddenly spoke calmly again. "I want you to come for a walk with me. I need to have a talk with you."

Kovu's fear faded. He was a little perplexed of as to why Nala would want to be alone with him if she knew what he was really there to do. But she had to be killed now, of course, and being alone with her would provide the opportunity. He didn't question her, just made sure no one had noticed their conversation and followed her away from Pride Rock.

* * *

"Kovu, I could tell Simba everything. You'd be exiled right away. But I'm not going to. And I know you're planning on killing me right now. But you won't. I know you're better than that." The blue-eyed lioness said to a dumbfounded Kovu after they were fairly far away from Pride Rock.

He remained quiet. He was more weirded out than anything else.

She looked away. "Tell me, what has Zira told you about your father?"

Kovu was stunned to hear that question. "N-n-nothing, really...he was a rogue that looked like Scar...that's all I know." His face showed a little resentment. "...never even told me his name." He acted like what he had just said didn't matter. "Alright, now tell me, why are you doing this?"

"Tojo." The queen said, hanging her head.

"What?"

"You're father's name was Tojo." Nala stated matter-of-factly.

Just then, Kovu remembered Zira's warnings about Nala, the deceitful queen. How she was a pathological liar. How she would try to get him to "see the light". How she would have this story about his "real parents".

Kovu contemplated killing her right then and there but decided not to. He was the kind of lion who would always toy around with prey before finishing it off. And, he was a little curious, he wanted to see what little sob story she had prepared. "Tell me about him."

"Tojo was a really good friend of mine when I was cub. He was a Pridelander." Nala sighed, looked at Kovu, and continued. "Scar didn't have any cubs. He was...sterile. One day, when we were adolescents, Scar announced to the Pride that he would decide whose bloodline would be the next royal family, and he decided it would be Tojo's. Since he hand-picked Tojo's bloodline, that kinda means he hand-picked you...I mean that's what Zira thinks..."

Well, Nala had failed already. "Uhh, no, Scar hand-chose me...I remember it well...him looking at me...my mother was so happy-"

"Zira's convinced you that she's your mother, eh? How sad..."

What a poor pathetic excuse of a liar. Telling him that Scar didn't pick him, and now claiming Zira wasn't his real mother. Absolutely preposterous. _What point do I have in letting her live any longer?_

Nala had turned her back for barely a second when Kovu pounced on her, claws digging into her fur. "Well, Nala, you tried. But you think I'm gonna believe anything you say?" Kovu laughed maliciously. "Such a pathetic excuse for a queen. You're supposed to do everything you can to protect your king, no? Well, he'll be dead soon. Let's hope your daughter does a better job with me..." He let that sink into the terrified Nala. "As I said, you tried, but you failed."

He bared his teeth and was about to go for the jugular.

Nala didn't struggle at all. All she did was hum. A slow, peaceful, falling tune. Kovu stopped right before his teeth met her throat. He didn't know how, but he recognized the tune. He looked at Nala questionably. "W-w-w-what are you doing?" Nala just continued humming. "I know that song from somewhere..."

"How could you forget your mother's lullaby?"

"My mother would never sing me to sleep-"

"Zira wouldn't. But Kula would sing you to sleep every-"

"Who?"

"Kula. Your mother."

The tune replayed itself over and over again. It was so familiar...but there was no way it could have ever been sung to him by his mother. Maybe Vitani? No...

"Kovu, look around." Kovu let go of Nala and took in his surroundings. He hadn't taken any notice of where he and Nala were going, he had only focused on killing her.

He and the queen were only a few feet away from where a pristine creek flowed over a small rocky incline. On the other side of the stream from him were a few large boulders. They formed a little cave, right beside the miniature waterfall. Behind the rock formation there was a thicket where several acacias grew fairly close to each other, creating something of a small forest.

The tune was still playing in his head. And now it was coupled with the sound of that waterfall. And this place. It was all eerily familiar.

_No._

_Could it be? It can't..._

Kovu drowned in a tidal wave of nostalgia. Part of his mind had been locked for so long. And this place, these sounds, they were the key. Dozens upon dozens of memories resurfaced.

He remembered the waterfall. How he loved to sit under that ledge where the water dropped steeply, lapping it up with his tongue and letting it drench his fur.

He remembered the thicket, where he'd chase after birds and rodents and try to scale the trees. Or sometimes just bask in the comfortable, dappled sunlight.

He remembered the cave. That was the cave he was born in, he knew. Where he had spent peaceful nights of his childhood with...his mother and father.

He remembered his father, a thin, dark yellow lion with azure eyes, a pleasant, goofish face, and a long, choppy dark brown mane. He had adored him.

And he remembered his mother. A dark brown, heavyset lioness with a beautiful smile and proud scarlet eyes. But the most important thing he remembered of her: her voice.

Every night. Every night she would sing him to sleep. A beautiful melody accompanied by the soothing sound of the little waterfall.

The tune continued to play in his head. The creek continued to run. The memories continued to surface.

He had forgotten Nala was there. "Kovu..."

"_LEAVE ME ALONE!_" The dark lion hissed venomously. "Th-there's no way-it can't be true-b-b-but I remember this place. I don't know h-how. Just...no. No. This-this can't be happening!", he said to himself.

Kovu couldn't take it anymore. He turned tail and headed back to Pride Rock, forgetting that Nala knew about the whole plot.

By the time he reached Pride Rock, his mind had a thousand questions. He collapsed to the ground, shut his eyes and pressed his paws against his head, trying to drown them out. His parents. Who were they, really? What had happened to them? When and why did he come under Zira's care? Why did Zira say he was his mother? Was he really not hand-picked by Scar? Was Kovu even his real name?

* * *

**Yeah, so, I think Kovu is Tojo x Kula. I've seen people say Kula x Chumvi and Tojo x Tama, but both Kula and Chumvi have red eyes while Kovu has green, and Tojo and Tama are both a lot lighter than Kovu. I don't think Zira is his real mother, since in the movie (as an adult) he refers to her by name. **

**I probably won't have Chapter 4 done for a while, as I do have summer AP work that I wanna get done now. Thanks again for reading!**


	4. You're Breaking Up With Me?

**Alright, somewhat sooner than I expected, I finished Chapter 4! We start with a very confusing flashback...**

* * *

_"Zamaradi, huh...what a sweet name..." Nala cooed softly._

_It had been just a couple of months since Simba had overthrown his uncle, and the savanna was already turning green again. He and his obviously pregnant mate were sitting just outside the den by the creek. Inside the cave, Tojo sat beside his own mate, his blue eyes gleaming with pride._

_Kula had given birth the night before. The new mother was lying down at the mouth of the small den with her newborn cub cradled in her forelegs. The cub had a warm brown pelt like his mother and his eyes were a deep dark green._

_"I told Kula that that its' too feminine..." Tojo chuckled._

_"Hmph...you had three months to come up with a boy's name." Kula smiled and licked her newborn son. "Besides, I think it fits him perfectly...look at his eyes."_

_"Mmmmm...okay, b-but if I constantly hear 'Daddy the other cubs made fun of me again!', it's all on you!" The dark yellow lion retorted._

_Nala looked over at her mate who had been awfully quiet since seeing the newborn. "Simba, is something wrong?"_

_He groaned. "Nothing. It's just...he looks so much like-"_

_"Scar? Yeah, Simba, we know!" Tojo finished the king's sentence contemptuously._

_Simba sighed and looked away, and then there was a moment of awkward silence._

_Kula tried to ease the tension. "So...Nala, when are you due?"_

_"In less than a month." The queen responded cheerfully. She hesitated for a moment, but decided to continue. "And...I was thinking...if I have another girl...your son could be her betrothal..."_

_Tojo and Kula's faces lit up. "Nala, we'd be honored!" Tojo couldn't sound more grateful._

_Simba groaned hesitantly, and his queen rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly. "What now?"_

_"I just think...the next king should come from a royal line..." It wasn't the actual reason Simba didn't like the idea, but it was a good excuse. _

_Nala nuzzled him. "Don't worry, if this one's a girl, we'll just try again for a boy. He'd be the heir."_

_Simba shook his head firmly. "No, I only want one cub...I don't want to have to see my cubs kill each other over the throne..."_

_"But Simba, I really doubt that something like that will ever happen again-"_

_"You don't know for sure..." The king stated darkly._

_Once again, there was silence and the atmosphere became very grave. This time it was Tojo who started on a different topic, albeit just as serious. "Zira's trial is today, right?"_

_Simba nodded. "Will we see you there?"_

_"One of us, maybe...can't leave my cub alone just yet." Kula responded, licking Zamaradi again._

_"Speaking of leaving cubs alone, my daughter is probably awake by now. I better get home..." Nala looked back at Pride Rock._

_Simba started back to home. "Alright, we'll see you later...and congratulations..."_

_"Mmhmm, congratulations!" The queen turned around to follow her mate but Tojo cleared his throat and caught her attention. _

_"Nala, Kula and I have something to ask of you..."_

_"What?" She faced them again._

_Tojo continued, looking at Nala very pleadingly. "You see, we're afraid that, since Zira knows I told you and Simba about the murder...that...she might be out to get me..."_

_Nala shook her head. "I'm sure Zira won't ever be seen near here for a long time..."_

_"I know...but still...I'm worried...that something could happen to me...and Kula...you know how dangerous Zira is..."_

_Kula became a little impatient. "Anyway, Nala, we're asking if you would be kind enough as to be our son's guardian in case anything happened to us."_

_Nala hadn't seen that coming, but accepted almost immediately. Tojo and Kula were her two childhood best friends. They had been there for her in her time of greatest need, and she would be there for them in theirs. "Of course...if anything ever happens to you, I _promise_ I'll protect your son" She lowered her head to get one last good look at the newborn "...but I'm sure everything will be just _fine_."_

_"Well, we certainly hope so..." Tojo laughed. "And thank you so much, Nala. It really means a whole lot to us..."_

* * *

Nala continued walking back to Pride Rock in the night solemnly. She couldn't help but feel terrible about how much she had broken that promise. She couldn't imagine the kind of life Kovu had had in the Outlands, especially being trained and conditioned by Zira. The more she thought about Kovu's life in the Outlands, the more she worried about someone else who was growing up over there, and happened to be _much_ closer to her...

Suddenly, she remembered something Kovu had said when he was about to kill her...

_"Let's hope your daughter does a better job with me."_

And then she remembered what Kiara asked her earlier that day...

_"Do you...do you think Dad would ever accept him...not just into the pride, but...as his...heir?"_

The queen's turquoise eyes abruptly went wide. _NO! No...they couldn't have...Kiara just has a crush on him like everyone in the pride...and I'm sure Kovu was only bluffing..._

She tried to shake the thoughts out of her head and continued walking through the grass. She climbed up the rock formation and saw the Outsider trying to sleep. The poor fellow looked terribly conflicted; he kept on tossing and turning and even growling. Nala went into the cave and saw that all the lionesses were asleep, but the lion king wasn't.

"Nala! I was wondering where you went!" Simba was lying in his normal spot on the elevated center of the den. He had his head and propped up on one of his front paws, and didn't look at all worried. He actually looked pretty amused. "You missed it! Kovu came running back here and looked like he had just seen a ghost! Quite a sight!"

Nala smiled and pretended to be disappointed. "Oh well..." She hopped up to Simba's side.

The king quickly turned to look at her, somewhat curious. "...where did you go, anyway?"

"Oh...around the waterhole..." She looked at him mischievously.

"What's so great about the water-Wait a minute..." Simba realized that they had once had this same conversation a long time ago, just with the roles reversed. He laughed and became inquisitive. "Alright, where did you really go?"

Nala's expression became more solemn. "I visited Tojo and Kula's old den."

The king's joy vanished. "Oh..."

"Simba...there's something very important I have to tell you..."

"You can tell me anything, Nala."

Nala gazed into her mate's trustful vermilion eyes. As queen, it was her duty to tell him about why Kovu was really in the Pridelands. However, Kovu was probably going to forget about that mission now, and if she actually told Simba, he would certainly overreact and banish Kovu...she couldn't let that happen...she wouldn't let Kula and Tojo down again.

She smiled sheepishly. "I love you."

* * *

As the sun rose and cast the Serengeti in a golden hue, a dark figure walked alone towards the Outlands. He needed answers, and he still had it drilled into his brain that he couldn't trust Queen Nala. But last night, all those memories...they were all just so _real._ He was presently very confused.

He continued on walking, not being very attentive to what may be lurking behind him...

"GOTCHA!"

He went tumbling to the ground as he a golden lioness burst out of the tall grass, pounced on him, flipped him over, and pinned him to the ground, .

Kiara laughed, happy that she had_ finally_ got him, but her expression suddenly turned to pain. "OW! OW! OW!" She whimpered.

The Outsider was caught completely off guard and for a moment thought he was actually being attacked. Therefore, he had grabbed his attacker's shoulders, and extended his claws...and he had drawn blood.

The princess backed off, still yelping. The cuts weren't too bad, but they still hurt. "Why did you-"

Kovu sat up and didn't show any compassion. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again. _Got it_?"

"Okay, okay-but why did-" Kiara's voice cracked.

"Because...none of your concern." He turned and looked away.

"What?" Despite what had just happened, Kiara moved closer to him.

He still wasn't turned toward her. "Look, Kiara, I'm in a really bad mood-"

"How was I supposed to know? Just because I'm your mate doesn't mean I can read your mind!" Kiara yelled angrily, and saw Kovu sigh deeply.

Kovu felt a little contrite for already ruining the poor girl's life as part of a mission that he was now unsure of completing. He faced her. "Yeah...about that...I'm not sure if this is going to work out..."

Kiara's mouth hung open but she didn't say a word. She just couldn't believe what was happening. _Is he seriously _leaving _me?!_

"I'm sorry, Kiara, but...I-"

"You said..." She looked down."You said you loved me...more than anyone in the world...was that...was that a lie?"

Kovu exhaled. "Kiara, I-"

"I should've known..." Kiara shook her head. She looked up and glared at Kovu with a face close to crying. Kovu hung his head, unable to look at her. Her face showed shock, betrayal, heartbreak...and anger. "_I SHOULD'VE KNOWN!_" She started to tear, and Kovu tried to say something but she continued. "I've heard of_ lions like you_...you're just like my grandfather, my mother's father...you wander from pride to pride, staying with each one just long enough to, to...you find a young, innocent lioness...you tell her all sorts of lies, about how much you _love_ her and all that...you get really _intimate_ with her...and then you just _disappear_, leaving her heartbroken and with a cub to take care of all by herself..."

She snorted. "Well, you should know-I'm not just some innocent lioness, Kovu! _I am the crown princess of the Pridelands! _And _I_ could be pregnant with _your_ cub, and that would make you the future_ king_!" She spoke very aggressively, but her next sentence sounded pleading. "You can't leave!"

After Kiara finished her invective, Kovu looked up at her. He was clearly feeling insulted, and only became more defensive. "I-I'm only leaving for a little while, and _wow_, are you overreacting. You really didn't think I knew about the whole secession law?!" He scoffed.

"_Oh, I'm only leaving for a little while. I'll be back before you know it!" _Kiara spoke in a mocking voice. "My grandmother says that's exactly what her mate said...the day he left." She stared at Kovu directly in the eye. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you."

Kovu rolled his eyes, now regretting admitting he lied to her. This was getting really annoying. "Kiara, let's face it. That was your_ first_ time...the chances of you really being pregnant are-"

"Is it impossible?" Kiara asked him sternly, although they both knew the answer.

"Kiara!"

"Answer my question!"

Kovu sighed. "No, it's not...but-"

Kiara had him cornered. She enunciated every word clearly, holding herself together firmly. "Then do you deny the possibility that _your_ cub is inside of _me._"

The dark lion snarled, and didn't say anything for a moment. Kovu just stared at her vehemently. "Alright, princess, here's the deal. I'll stay here until you can be sure if you're pregnant or not. If you really are, then I'll stay, alright?! But if you're not, then I will leave...and don't be surprised if I really do never come back!" He stormed off in the direction of Pride Rock.

Kiara was slightly glad to see that he wasn't leaving, but was still mad. She sat down and tried to calm herself. Kovu looked back at her, and asked casually, as if they hadn't just fought, "Where's your mother?"

"She's out hunting...why?"

"Oh, I happen to be having some, uh, family...issues...she just knows a lot about what's going on." Kovu turned back around and walked away.

Kiara looked on after him incredulously. "Oh-kay..." She tried to concentrate on all the lies she had just uncovered. _So Kovu doesn't love me...at all._ Unfortunately, Kiara had just been starting to learn to love him, and found it difficult to let go. But her biggest concern now was the thought of him leaving. He may have said he would stay, but the princess knew better than to believe anything he said. If he really did leave forever, and it turned out she was pregnant, all hell would break loose. _I have to find some way to make him stay..._

She tried to think, but as she thought more about him, she couldn't help but continuously ask one question: if he really didn't love her nor wanted to be king, then why did he deliberately seduce her? It was a total mystery. However, as Kiara rested, she became more aware of the wounds Kovu had physically inflicted on her before their verbal dispute. They needed treatment, so Kiara started walking lightly towards a certain tall baobab tree...

* * *

From the base of the enormous sacred wood, Kiara could hear the mandrill shaman chanting cheerfully in incomprehensible Kiswhahili. She looked up and although she could definitely hear him, she couldn't see him at all.

"Rafiki? Rafiki?" She tried calling his name, looking up into the deep green of the arbor but not seeing him anywhere.

"RAFIKI!" She yelled.

"Ah, Princess Kiara!" The monkey poked his joyful, multicolored head out from the canopy, but his expression became somewhat serious when he saw her cuts. "Rafiki will be right down!"

He went back into the tree for a moment and then climbed down carrying a few herbs in his mouth. "Tell Rafiki, who did dis to you?"

"Oh don't worry, I'm fine-Oh! OW!" She yelped and jumped slightly when Rafiki rubbed some of the stuff on her minor wounds. "That hurt more than when Kovu clawed me-"

Rafiki lowered his voice. "Kovu did dis to you?"

"Yeah but-"

"Hmph." Rafiki crossed his arms and turned away. "I knew da plan would nevah work."

Kiara only barely heard what the mandrill said. "What?"

"Hm? Oh, nudding-" He waved her away.

"You said something about a plan-" Kiara was a little curious and approached him.

Rafiki sighed. "Da spirits told me dat you and Kovu were meant to be toogeduh...hmph...I knew day were wrong..."

Kiara lit up. "No, they're not wrong! I really am in love with Kovu! The only problem is..." She looked at her cuts. "I don't think he's in love with me..."

Rafiki looked up at the sky, and the felt the wind blow through his white mane. "Rafiki know day spirits never lied before...Mufasa is probably right...maybe you and Kovu do really beelong toogeduh..." He sighed, turned around and smiled. "Okay...Rafiki know a ding or two about _upendi_. Don't dink he was alone all his life!" He chuckled, wheezing.

Kiara looked a little confused. "What's_ 'upendi'_?"

Rafiki only laughed harder as he started to climbed back up his tree and disappeared into the arbor. "You and Kovu will find out tonight!"

* * *

**I hope that scene with Kovu and Kiara was emotional as i intended it to be...**

**Yeah, I know the flashback was confusing and raises a lot of questions...**

**Anyway, "Zamaradi" is an actual Swahili name (a girl's name though, poor Kovu). It means "Emerald". **

**Alright, thank you for reading! Chapter 5 should be up before the end of next month. Busy summer...**


	5. Murderer for a Mother

**Okay, thanks for being patient. Here is Chapter 5, which will take us back into the movie. I guess I should say that I don't own The Lion King and that the characters used (except for Abidjan, my OC who will eventually show up in the story) all belong to Disney. Alright well, enjoy!**

* * *

"That whiney little princess," Kovu muttered as he padded back to Pride Rock none too gently, still fuming after his confrontation with Kiara. "...thinks she can tell me what to do...just because she _might_ be pregnant..."

Kovu hadn't necessarily intended to impregnate her originally. All his plan had required was just getting her to _think_ she was pregnant, and he had most certainly succeeded at that.

Unfortunately, with his new indecision, Kovu's "accomplishment" was now beginning to backfire. He was stuck in the Pridelands, and wouldn't be able to leave until Kiara was sure she wasn't pregnant. He had no idea how long that would take, and he was desperately needing to talk to Zira and sort everything out as soon as possible.

_Maybe Nala's been lying to me this whole time, and I can't let the mission fall apart if she really is...but those flashbacks last night...they were so_ real._..and I still have all those memories..._

He growled frustratedly and continued walking until he reached a small river. So wrapped up in his thoughts and aggravation, Kovu had paid no attention to where he was going, and only now realized he had walked directly to the reminiscent place Nala had shown him the night before.

He looked around and quickly grew uncomfortable. The setting seemed only more familiar in the daylight. The dark lion let out an exasperated sigh and flopped to the ground.

To think, just a week ago, Kovu had been so sure of everything in his life. Sure that he was the son of Zira and the hand-chosen heir of King Scar. Sure that a ruthless, fraudulent King Simba had banished him and his family to the Outlands because of their relations to the great king. Most of all, he had been sure of his future: he was to avenge the glorious monarch and take his rightful place as King of the Pridelands.

_And now I'm not even sure of my own name..._

He analyzed his rippling reflection in the slow-moving stream. Staring back at him was a dark brown lion with an insecure, tentative look in his verdant eyes. A look that Kovu wasn't particularly used to.

He turned away and decided to try and get some rest. There was nothing better he could do until later, and he hadn't gotten much repose the night before. He wearily closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

* * *

_Kovu awoke, and immediately recognized that something was off. He was in the same place by the river, but everything seemed quite a bit...bigger._

_Not only that, but the river was shallower, the trees were almost bare, and the ground beneath him seemed much drier. He wanted to stand up, but he couldn't control his own body. It felt like he was watching something through someone else's eyes. He glanced at his reflection again and realized that he was in a dream._

_He was a cub. Three months old, at most. Instead of a mane, he had a bit of dark brown fuzz on his head. His green eyes possessed the cubhood innocence which he had lost so long ago that he had doubted he'd ever even had it at all. He was quite small, of course, but also much more well-groomed then he had ever been when in the Outlands._

_He looked up again, and this time he caught sight of something that almost made his heart stop._

_There, on the opposite side of the riverbed, next to the miniature waterfall, was a lioness with smooth-looking sienna fur. She was sleeping outside the den, her chest puffing in and out in slow breaths and her forelegs stretched out in front of her. There was a very peaceful expression on her face. Even though Nala had mentioned her name to be Kula, the first name that came to Kovu's mind was _Mom_._

_Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave her son a soft smile. Her affectionate red eyes seemed to warm up his soul. Kovu felt his own cub self smile back, slightly embarrassed. Kula chuckled to herself and closed her eyes again, but the smile remained._

_Kovu went back to looking at the brook, trying to find some sort of wildlife, although the water was too shallow for any fish. Suddenly, he heard a gasp, and a sickening crack._

_He felt his cub self become unnerved as he looked back towards Kula, and froze as he saw her limp form drop to the ground, looking the other way._

_Kovu then looked up to see whoever it was that just killed his mother, still not really taking in what just happened. The first thing he noticed about her was a pair of eyes as crimson as the blood that dripped from her muzzle. And they belonged to the lioness he had called "Mother" for as long as he could remember._

* * *

Kovu awoke with a start. He couldn't believe it, but he knew that that dream had been a flashback. Zira had killed his mother...and for so long he had thought _she_ was his mother! It didn't make sense. Not only did he feel shocked, but betrayed as well. Zira had told him so many lies, and now he didn't doubt Nala at all. He immediately felt an aggressive urge to race to the Outlands, force Zira to confess the truth, and kill his so-called "mother" on the spot. It seemed as though all the hatred he had built up for Simba was now starting to direct itself towards the Outsider matriarch. He stood up, and was about to start running when a voice came from behind him.

"Oh, there you are…" Kiara emerged from the grass nearby. "Did you just get up?"

A crushing realization hit Kovu: he had promised Kiara he wouldn't leave the Pridelands until what would be at least another week. He was going to spend all that time knowing Zira had killed his mother, but wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He had to keep himself from roaring in frustration before returning his attention to the princess. "Yeah...what is it?"

Kiara avoided eye contact, just looking at the ground as she spoke. "Oh, well, the hunting party is returning...I just thought you might be hungry."

"Uh...thanks for letting me know…" He turned around and began walking towards Pride Rock, feelings of confusion and betrayal still plaguing his mind. He hadn't paid any attention to the way Kiara spoke to him.

"Hey, Kovu, I'm sorry for lashing out at you before." Kiara continued, still looking down guiltily while Kovu moved away.

"It's fine…" He sighed as he stopped and looked back towards her. "I just hope it's all over soon…", he said more to himself as he resumed walking.

"I still love you…" The princess whispered. Kovu was sure he wasn't supposed to hear that but he did. He felt a pang of guilt, but at the moment he had some much bigger issues on his mind. He pretended not to notice and just kept walking.

* * *

"Dad...when can I-"

"How many times do I have to tell you-_never_! Not after what happened last time! What if no one's there to save you next time?"

Kiara sighed, giving up. The princess could feel that same rebellious attitude building up again, and she only knew where that way of thinking got her. She and Simba were sitting at the base of Pride Rock, while the lionesses were bringing in their kills. A few of the older lionesses who had opted out of the hunt were also lounging around, and Kovu was resting in a spot secluded from everyone else, staring at the horizon. He appeared to be very deep in thought.

Nala walked up to Simba and he gave her a nuzzle. "Nice job, today...as always…"

"Thanks." The queen responded. Simba walked over to where everyone else was eating while Nala stayed with her daughter.

"Mom, he can't really ban me from hunting, can he? When I'm queen, won't I have to be the headhuntress?"

Nala smiled back at the princess. "Once you have a mate, it really won't be up to him...and I'm sure that once this whole conflict with the Outsiders is over, he'll be a different lion."

As soon as she heard the word "mate", Kiara glanced towards Kovu, who was devouring a wildebeest leg mercilessly. A few lionesses nearby seemed to be downright appalled, but he didn't care. She chuckled, and her mother smirked.

"Still got a crush on him, huh?"

"Yeah...but I talked to him this morning…" Kiara felt the scratches on her shoulders sting. "He doesn't feel that way about me at all."

Nala looked over to Kovu and exhaled. "He's going through alot right now…"

"Oh, wait, Kovu said he wanted to talk to you this morning! What's going on?"

The queen hesitated. "How much did he tell you?"

"Just that he had some 'family issues'"

Nala was unsure whether or not to tell Kiara about everything that was going on, since it would be pretty unfair to Kovu. "He had a death in his family." _Well at least I'm not lying..._

"Really? No one told me that!" Kiara didn't wait for her mother to say anything as she quickly walked over to where Kovu was.

The dark lion was still gnawing on the wildebeest leg viciously, although there was pretty much no meat on it anymore. His demeanor didn't at all soften when he saw Kiara. "What do you want?"

"My mother just told me about how someone in your family died…"

Kovu stopped chewing and started to trudge away into the savanna. "I guess that's what you can say…"

"Kovu, please...if it helps, you can talk about it with me...who was it that died?" The princess asked as she walked with him.

Kovu almost wanted to laugh at her cluelessness. "Kiara, it's really none of your concern…and I really don't want to talk about it…"

Kiara nodded. "I understand...but if you're just going to sulk, you'll only make things worse…you have to try to get your mind off it…maybe we could do something fun again…"

Kovu snorted.

"Please? I really hate seeing you like this…"

Kovu was in no mood to continue bickering with the princess. "Fine...what do you suppose we do?"

"Oh! Let's sneak up on Zazu! Remember how scared Timon was when you pounced on him? Can you imagine what_ his_ reaction will be!?"

Kovu snickered.

"HA! I got you to smile! C'mon, let's go!" Kiara ran off, while Kovu followed. For the first time that day, Kovu wasn't actually caught up in thinking of his past. _Maybe there's no point in just thinking about it if there's nothing I can do about it now...either I make these next few days unbearable or I try to get my mind off it…_

* * *

"Well, thank you for notifying me of the issue, I shall relay it to his majesty tomorrow morning and we'll conduct a formal investigation." Zazu concluded his meeting with a vulture hastily. The sun was completely down now, and he was in a hurry to get home.

The bald-headed scavenger nodded and flew away, while the majordomo stayed perched on a low tree branch. He sighed and crossed his wings. "Another hyena sighting, eh? Probably just some child trying to stir up trouble…" He continued to mutter to himself in his uptight English accent, completely ignorant of his surroundings.

"After five years of sharing the kingdom with those drooling scoundrels, I don't think-" The hornbill's eyes went wide as he saw a huge dark figure in mid-air coming straight towards him.

The lion had a fierce grin on his face as he landed lightly, his bared teeth dangerously close to Zazu's feathers.

"AAAAGGGHHHHHH!" Zazu screamed in sheer terror as he fell off his perch. Even though it would potentially be his last words, the majordomo couldn't help but say something condescending. "I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE A TRAITOR! YOU JUST WANT ME OUT OF THE WAY SO YOU CAN KILL SIMBA WITHOUT ANY WITNESSES! YOU...you...deceitful, insidious, despicable, egotistical…"

Kovu just simpered even more as Zazu threw more insults at him.

"...treacherous, murderous, sadistic, self-serving, disloyal…" He was soon drowned out by Kiara's cackles. The princess was rolling on the ground in the grass nearby, unable to contain herself.

The hornbill looked over to where the golden lioness was and suddenly became very indignant. "Enjoy playing pranks on the majordomo, I see…" He got up and dusted himself off. "Well, I guess it's nice that you take so much after your grandfather…" Zazu turned around and quickly took off, not wanting to humiliate himself any further.

"That look on his face was absolutely _perfect_!" Kiara laughed.

"...and I thought _your father_ hated me…" Kovu said as he stood up.

"He really thought you were going to kill him, yet he still insults you...well that's Zazu for you! I wish I actually saw Timon's reaction…"

"He said 'Don't eat me please! I never really met your tyrant-I mean Scar! Heck of a guy!'" Kovu snickered. "It was pretty funny...but I did kinda feel sorry for him…not so much for that bird…" He walked over to where Kiara was, amused by her laughter.

She looked at him curiously. "What?"

He smirked. "You're cute when you laugh."

She feigned insult. "I'm not cute when I'm not laughing?"

"I didn't say that…"

"Well that's what you implied!" She got up, and, in a playful mood, wrestled Kovu to the ground, only to have him push her off. They were both now on their backs, staring directly up at the sky.

Kiara suddenly become very pensive. "Oh, look, you can see the stars in the shape of a scorpion!"

Kovu looked at her quizzingly. "What are you talking about?"

"If you look a little left of the moon, you'll see it…"

"Oh yeah...huh."

Kiara had always enjoyed stargazing and tried to look for more. "Ooh! There's the one that looks like a bird!"

"Like Zazu…" He paused and they both laughed. "That was just too funny…"

"Uh-huh! Oh, and if you look from just the right angle, you can see that it's on a nest…" Kiara started to feel the nostalgia. She and her father would go stargazing every night when she was a cub. She had thought she'd grown out of it, but there was still a part of her that was glad to be doing it again.

"Oh…" He scanned the night sky, still giggling, and caught sight of an exceptionally bright star. "See that! See that! Look at that! It's really pretty…"

"What? Oh yeah! Um-look...there's one that looks like a baby rabbit. See the fluffy tail?"

"Yeah...hey! There's one that looks like two lions killing each other for a scrap of meat!"

While Kovu chuckled, Kiara grimaced. She had always thought of amateur astronomy as a most peaceful hobby, and the fact that Kovu could incorporate fighting and death into it made her uneasy.

He didn't notice. "Ah, I've never done this before."

Kiara was quite surprised. "Really? My father and I used to this all the time." She sounded especially nostalgic. "He says all the great kings of the past are up there."

Kovu then looked up at the sky very curiously. "You think _Scar_ is up there?"

* * *

**I can't say when the next chapter will be up. I start 11th grade on Monday, September 9th. This is going to be a crazy year...3 APs, 2 foreign languages...wish me luck lol! Please review! **


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